Burberry: The Trench Coat, the Check and a Royal Warrant

Few brands are as instantly, recognisably British as Burberry. The trench coat, the camel-and-red check, the equestrian knight — all of it grew from one young draper’s determination to keep the British weather at bay. It is a story of invention as much as fashion.

A Hampshire draper and a new fabric

Burberry began in 1856, when the 21-year-old Thomas Burberry opened a shop in Basingstoke, Hampshire. His great breakthrough came in 1879 with gabardine — a hard-wearing, water-resistant yet breathable cloth, made by waterproofing the yarn before weaving. It was a revolution in outerwear, and it made Burberry the name to beat for clothing that could face the elements.

The coat born in the trenches

Burberry’s most famous creation was refined for war. Building on his earlier Tielocken design, Burberry developed a weatherproof coat for military officers, and the trench coat was born. Almost every detail had a purpose: epaulettes for insignia, D-rings for equipment, a storm shield to throw off the rain. After the First World War the trench crossed over into civilian life and never left — a piece of military kit that became a timeless classic.

The check known worldwide

The famous Burberry check began quietly, as the lining of the trench coat, before becoming one of the most recognised patterns in the world. Camel, black, white and red, it is now shorthand for British style — equally at home on a scarf, a coat or a catwalk.

A royal house

Burberry’s royal credentials run deep across reigns: a first royal warrant from King George V as a tailor, later one from Queen Elizabeth II as a weatherproofer, and more recently a warrant from King Charles III as an outfitter. From the trenches to the palace, it has dressed Britain in all weathers for well over a century.

Royal Warrant holder status is reviewed periodically and can change; details are correct as of 2026.